Coloring your hair a deep, rich shade of mahogany may seem like a brilliant idea, but trying to remove a color that turns out too dark can be daunting. Returning to your colorist for a harsh bleaching treatment or running to the drugstore for a color-correcting product is expensive and can damage processed, color-treated hair even further. Open the pantry and refrigerator to find readily available, effective natural remedies for lightening your hair color at home.

Honey inherently contains small amounts of hydrogen peroxide, which makes it an ideal substance to naturally lighten your chemical hair color. Stir a tablespoon of honey into one cup of water and let the mixture sit for half an hour. Coat hair in the water, cover it with a towel or plastic wrap, let the hair develop for at least 20 minutes, then wash and rinse. This mixture can be left on the hair overnight, if desired.

Lighten blonde or light-brown hair with a diluted lemon-juice solution. Pour a tablespoon of lemon juice into a gallon of warm water and mix. Rinse the hair with this solution each day until the desired color is achieved. Spray damp hair with the lemon juice solution and allow the hair to dry in the sunshine for faster results. Lemon juice can also be added to other natural lightening ingredients. The acidity in the lemon juice may cause your hair to become dry and brittle. Use a deep conditioning treatment to moisturize your hair after rinsing. Avoid using this method on dark colored or red hair. The lemon juice may cause orange streaks, giving you an undesirable result.

In addition to elements that naturally lighten dark hair color, olive oil offers moisturizing properties that make your hair soft, silky and shiny. Mix one to two tablespoons of olive oil, depending on the dryness of your hair, into a cup of clear water. Massage the solution through your hair, paying close attention to the ends. Let the mixture process for 30 minutes. Rinse well, shampoo and dry thoroughly. Mix a tablespoon of lemon juice into the solution for quicker results.

Chamomile and rhubarb contain agents that gradually lighten dyed hair. Add one-half cup of chamomile flowers to one quart of boiling water and allow the mixture to steep for half an hour. Strain the mixture and allow the water to cool. Place a large bowl in the sink, and position your head over the bowl, catching the water after the rinse. Pour the chamomile water over clean, damp hair 10 to 20 times until the desired color is reached. Allow the hair to process for 15 minutes after the final rinse, then rinse with clear water. Perform this method with chamomile tea bags for slower results, or boil chopped rhubarb, strain, and use the water as a rinse in a similar manner.